


sweet boy

by acciogramander



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2018-11-02 09:04:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10941288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acciogramander/pseuds/acciogramander
Summary: Newt may or may not have accidentally gained the attentions of a certain Percival Graves. Also, Graves' son Credence loves him. In one day, Newt seems to have gained a family.





	1. Daddy and Papa

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Funkspiel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Funkspiel/gifts), [Natecchi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natecchi/gifts).



> Only chapter one, guys! This is a multi-chapter fic. Chapter one is fairly short because life is crazy for me right now. Next few chapters will be longer!

Newt Scamander was going to be a single father. He was a man who believed in second chances, especially for a child who was left without a family to call their own. Newt Scamander was a man who wanted a family, though he had no significant other. He was a bit unlucky in love, but he was fine with that. As long as this adoption went through, everything would get better for him. He just wanted a child he could call his own.

The little boy's name was Credence. He was three years old, and the most beautiful child Newt had ever seen. He looked up at him with round, curious brown eyes, a tattered teddy bear in his arms. He was utterly enchanting, and Newt got down on his knees to talk to the little boy.

"Hello, Credence." The boy blinks slowly as he moves just a little closer to the red head. "Are you gonna be my daddy, Newt?" The voice coming from the child is musical, the most beautiful he's ever heard. He couldn't be more excited than he was in that moment. He was actually going to be a father. 

And then the boy turned and his brown eyes widened, "Papa!" And then he was running away from Newt and toward the door, where a dark-haired man was waiting for him with his arms opened for the child. Newt's heart sank and his hopes shattered in a very short moment. The man had crouched down and taken Credence into his arms, and nothing was more painful than watching the boy he'd wanted to be his son embrace the other man.

"Papa, that man wants to be my daddy!" Newt's head snapped up at the same time the other man's did, and sea-foam green eyes met dark brown. They were narrowed spitefully, and Newt shivered under that gaze. It was hateful, but also curious. Searching, and it left Newt feeling oddly exposed. 

"Daddy, come meet Papa!" Credence had wiggled his way out of the man's hold and sprinted back over to Newt, tiny hand reaching for his. "Are you gonna take me home with you, Daddy? Papa says he wants to take me home with him tonight, but I want you to come with us." The man in the doorway looked as stunned as Newt felt.

"Percival Graves." His voice rumbled in his barrel chest, sounding a bit upset, even as he extended a hand to him.

Newt swallowed thickly, the tension in the room almost choking him. "Newt Scamander," he took his hand and shook it with a firm grip, "I, uh. They didn't tell me someone else was planning on adopting him." The look Graves was giving him now was almost pitying. Like he could sense Newt's loneliness and was digusted by it. 

"Yes, well, they should have. I'm taking Credence home tonight." There was no arguing with this man.

"I-." Newt started to speak, but a sniffle startled him and both men looked down at the boy, who was looking up at them with tears building in his brown eyes. "What about daddy, Papa? I want Daddy, too." His tiny lower lip jutted out, and Newt's heart broke. In the matter of just half an hour, his entire world had been flipped upside down, just by the appearance of this stranger. 

Newt knelt down beside Credence and tried to keep his own tears from forming in his eyes. "Credence, it's  okay. You can go with your Papa. He loves you, Credence, you can go home with him." His words were sweet and light, even as he embraced the young boy. "You're gonna be okay, Credence. Go with Papa." 

The child was shaking and crying in his arms. "Don't go, daddy. Please don't go." And hell, if that didn't just break his heart into a million razor-sharp pieces. Everything inside him hurt, but he just let go of Credence and turned away. 

He turned to Graves before he left the room. "You take care of him," he said fiercely. "That little boy is the most precious thing I've ever had in my life. He's special and he's kind. Don't you dare take that away from him." It's a threat and a warning, and Newt has emotionally detach himself as he walks away. Credence's cries for him to come back hurt too much.

\--

Two days later, he got a message on his phone. 

Newton --

This is Percival Graves. I need your help, it's Credence. He hasn't stopped crying since you left the other day. Please come to my home at once. I live near Central Park. If you'll come, I'll text you the full address. 

Newt had texted back and agreed, and promptly received a message back with an address. He was so worried about Credence that he didn't even stop to ask how Percival Graves had gotten ahold of his cell number. He'd just run out to flag down a taxi. 

He showed up at the brownstone with windblown hair, breathless, but so ready to see Credence. He knocked at the door, and almost immediately heard heavy footsteps on the other side of the door. It swung open, and a rather tired looking Percival Graves opened it. He looked very different from the man he'd met two days prior. In place of the impeccably dressed man he'd first seen was a man in a rumpled grey t shirt, black sweatpants, and barefoot. A five o'clock shadow dusted his jaw and cheeks.

"Oh, thank God you're here. Please help me." His voice was different, too, and it wavered with barely hidden exhaustion. "He's been crying for you. Please, can you talk to him?"

Newt sighed and entered the house, shaking his head as he looked around for the child. "Daddy!" Two little feet pattered across the floor and he found himself with a tiny human wrapping his arms around Newt's legs. "Hi, Credence." He stooped down and pulled the child up into his arms, cradling him against his chest. "Papa says you've been crying for me. Is that true, love?"

The boy hid his face in Newt's t shirt and nodded sadly. "Please don't leave me, daddy. Please?" His pleads hurt, but Newt couldn't promise him anything. 

A voice cut through, and Newt's jaw drops. 

"He won't, Credence. Daddy can stay with us."

Gone was the proud attitude that Newt had seen just days before; what was left now was a man who was clearly exhausted and in need of help. Well, if Percival really needed his help, he would stay. Not just for him, but for Credence, as well. "If that's what he wants, of course." It's pointed, quite direct, and Newt chuckles under his breath. As if he really had a choice - he wouldn't leave now.


	2. the ties that bind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoooooo guess who's back!!
> 
> Come scream with me about Gramander on Discord!! (Andy!! #8282)

Percival's face when Newt agrees is one of surprise - obviously, he completely expected Newt to disagree and walk right back out the door, out of their lives completely. The man just didn't quite understand that Newt could never walk away from someone who was in need, man, woman, child, or creature. The older man's face goes slack with relief and utter exhaustion.

"Thank you," He breathes, his brown eyes much warmer than they had been the first time they had met. Newt is reminded of the hot cocoa on cold mornings at Hogwarts - he has time to study them later, he thinks - they are much more important things to do at the present time. "I really owe you one."

Newt shakes his head, auburn curls bouncing with the movement, "No need, Mister Graves. Credence needed me, that's all there is to it." The child curled up further in Newt's arms, his little eyes closed as he finally was able to fall asleep. Newt's heart warmed as he breathed in the scent of baby soap, happy to be reunited with the boy. "And you look like you could use a nap, as well." The man was still extremely handsome, but obviously frayed around the edges; with dark five o'clock shadow that Newt himself could never seem to grow, and shadows under his eyes that spoke of sleepless nights. "Why don't you get some sleep?"

Percival snorted, unused to someone speaking their mind around him. "Do I really look that bad?" He waved a hand when Newt started to protest, his lips pursed with amusement. "Perhaps you're right. If you don't mind, I'd like an hour or so to myself. Are you sure you don't mind keeping an eye on him while I do?" He felt he could trust Newt to take care of Credence while he was lying down - he'd had a background check done at the orphanage after all, and he'd come up clean of any felonies.

The young Brit had already made himself comfortable on the couch, pulling the throw blanket around Credence as the young boy napped against his chest. "Of course," He murmured, glancing up at Graves from under long, lovely eyelashes. Percival blinked once, sure that his sleep-deprived mind was making him either see things, or imagine the way that Newt seemed to be studying him very closely. "You needn't worry, we'll be here when you wake."

He was much too tired to do much else, so he merely nodded and started moving away. He could at least try to relax now - Credence was safe, asleep on the sofa with Newt, and he could finally at least try to get some sleep. He could figure out what he was going to do when Newt had to leave later on. Right now, he really needed some sleep.

\---

Credence slept for seven hours. Newt watched over him, occasionally drifting off himself in the silence and the warmth of the Graves household. By hour three, he'd grown quite bored and had slowly lowered the sleeping child onto the sofa, the blanket keeping him warm. Newt had located a book that looked entertaining on the shelves by the fireplace and had entertained himself that way for quite sometime. Graves was nowhere to be found; Newt assumed that he had managed to get comfortable and had let his exhaustion take over, the poor man.

By the time the seventh hour had rolled around, Newt had started to get hungry - he'd considered take out, but didn't want someone knocking on the door and risk waking either of the sleeping occupants. Instead, he'd nosed around and found the kitchen. He wasn't the best at preparing meals, but he knew the basics and set about whipping up spaghetti and garlic bread for the three of them.

Percival was sure he was still dreaming when he stumbled into the living room, the smell of food cooking have roused him from his slumber. The sight of a slim, young redhead humming a tune to himself while he moved about the kitchen also made him feel like he was still fast asleep in his bed - it took a moment for him to remember who the young man even was. "Newt?"

"Oh!" Startled, Newt turned to face Percival, a delicate flush appearing on his face, hands suddenly twitchy as he realized that Graves had been watching him. "I didn't wake you, did I? I got a bit hungry, and thought maybe you and Credence would be too, once you both woke up..." He felt like he was intruding now, this wasn't his kitchen or his food that he was making. The flush deepened with his embarrassment, and Percival found himself quite charmed. "I'm sorry." He finished, chewing on his lower lip in a severely nervous fashion.

Graves really didn't care - he was hungry himself, having shirked his own needs for the past two days in favor of comforting his new son. He thinks he ate a granola bar at some point, but he really can't be sure. "It's alright, Newt, I don't mind. It was very kind of you to help us." He assured the young man, stepping past him to take a look at the food, "It looks good. Can't say I'm surprised, of course. You seem to have the 'Mother Hen' gene. Offering your help to those who need it." And he had certainly needed the help, and was eternally grateful.

"I - I'm glad I could help." He offers shyly, really very surprised at this seemingly new side of a man he barely knew. Gone was the harshness that had colored the man's tone just two days before, the crisp and clean man with his shiny shoes and neat hair. In his place was a man who still looked on the verge of collapse, wearing a faded shirt and pajama bottoms, his hair clean but messy, charmingly wavy. He liked this Graves more than the other one. "I was surprised to hear from you." He admitted, turning back to the stove.

He hadn't planned on calling Newt, and he told him so. "They offered your number to me, just in case. I was offended at first, thinking that they didn't believe I could care for Credence on my own. I see now that they were only hoping that Credence would still be able to see you, and that I do need help." He was past the point of pride now, he could willingly admit that. "I thought I could do this on my own, but he's so attached to you."

Newt was listening intently, stirring the noodles with a precision that was almost mechanical. "Yes, well," He cleared his throat, his lips a thin line, "I was the one who rescued Credence from his adoptive mother. I saw what was happening and put a stop to it. I love that little boy." He admitted, his voice so soft and shy. "I was hoping to give him the loving home he deserves, but he has you." There was a barely discernible tone in his voice - Graves recognized it as jealousy, and he felt a little guilty. "I hope you realize how special he is."

"I do." Came a gruff tone, though it wasn't angry - just a tad emotional. "I didn't realize how close you were to him." The young man jumped when a warm hand touched his left shoulder, squeeze gently, and fall away. "Perhaps we can come to... an agreement, Newt."

That sounded promising - and curious. "What kind of agreement?" If it meant he could see Credence every once in awhile, he would do just about anything. 

Graves looked like he was about to answer when he heard a cry from the living room, and they both ran to their boy's side.


End file.
